Trap release



Dec. 26, 1939. c; c. LQOMIS 2,184,389

TRAP RELEASE Filed Jan. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR.

CRAWFORD c. LOOMIS A TTORNEY Dec. 26, 1939. C 'LQQM|$ 2,184,389

TRAP RELEASE Filed Jan. 26, 1937 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IN V ENTOR.

CRAWFORD c. LOOMIS 3 :ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1939 TRAP RELEASECrawford 0. Loomis, Ilion, N. Y., assignor to Remington Arms Company,Inc., a corpora! tion of Delaware Application January 26, 1937, SerialNo. 122,343

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for the release of target throwingtraps, and contemplates an improved and simplified mechanism whereby oneor more traps may be released either instantaneously or after a lapse ofan unknown time interval subsequent to manipulation of the releasingmechanism.

The development and increasing efiiciency oi shooters in the sport ofskeet has given rise to a demand for .devices for rendering this sportsomewhat more difiicult. Ordinarily one or more targets are thrownimmediately upon an indication by the shooter that he is in readiness tofire. To render the sport somewhat more difiicult it is desirable toprovide means whereby a delay of an unknown interval up to about threeseconds may be provided after the shooter indicates his readiness andmanipulation of the trap releasing devices by the puller. A number ofappliances for this purpose have been proposed in conjunction withelectric releases. They usually depend for their functioning upon theclosing of an electrical circuit by a rotating element, the variabletime interval being furnished by the timing of the manual closing of acircuit with respect to such a constantly rotating element. Theseappliances are undesirably complicated, and not altogether reliable inservice. They are subject to the further disadvantage that many skeetfields are not provided with electric current, and it is necessary tomake installations of current supplying batteries every time the fieldis used.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a variable timer forthe release of target throwing traps which is entirely mechanical andself-contained and which may be permanently installed on a skeet orother target throwing field and remain in place in all conditions ofweather without damage or injury.

t is a further object of this invention to control the release of one ormore traps by a hydraulic device provided with suitable appliancesvarying the time interval between manipulation by the operator andactual movement of the trap 5 releasing element by varying the time inwhich a hydraulically moved or controlled part reaches a final trapreleasing position.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a side elevation of atrap reieasing F9mechanism embodying one form of the present invention, one side of thecase having been removed to expose the mechanism, and certain partsbeing shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the line 2-2 ofFig. l.

v in the path of movement of the two prongs ll The mechanism asillustrated contemplates the 10 individual or simultaneous release oftwo target I traps, the release mechanism on the traps being connectedthrough a wire or other suitable means with the outwardly projectingends of levers IQ and M respectively, said levers being pivoted at l2and. i3 respectively in the base It. The inner ends of levers Ill and Hare provided with upstanding lugs I5 and i6 respectively which are andi8 of a forked lever 69. This lever is illus- 0 .Fig. 3 to bring the gapbetween the prongs H and I 8 opposite either of the lugs l5 or it onetrap only will be released. The forked lever I9 is preferably a castingwhich as illustrated is received in a sleeve 20, the upper end of saidsleeve being pivotally joined at 2| to a lever 22 which projectsupwardly through an aperture in the top 23 of the frame or housing. Anoperating handle 24 is releasably joined to the lever 22. Preferably thehandle 24 is a tube which 35 slides over the upwardly projecting end oflever .22, the purpose of this construction being to enable the readyremoval of -the operating handle and the complete closing of themechanism case when the device is not in use. Lever 22 is fur- 4C therjoined to sleeve 20 by means of an arm 25 projecting rearwardly fromlever 22 and a link 26 pivoted at 21 to arm 25 and passing looselythrough an aperture in an arm 28 secured to the sleeve 26. A spring 29'is interposed between a collar 30 on link 26 and the upper surface ofarm 28, and the lower extremity of link 26 is threaded to receive a nut3|. Preferably one or more fiber washers 32 are interposed between nut3i and the undersurface of arm 28. .It will 5C be apparent that thisconstruction enables the lever 22 to swing to the left (Fig. 1) whilesleeve 29 and lever I9 remain stationary, the spring 29 being compressedin this operation; but that, spring29 being iully extended, lever 22cannot 55 port 55.

be moved to the right independently of lever 59. The upper end of sleeve20 is supported on a longitudinally extending pivot 33 held between arms34 and 35 of a yoke which is pivoted in brackets 36 depending from thetop 23 of the frame. This construction obviously provides for thefollowing movements of the movable parts thus far described. First:Movement of the handle 24 and lever 22 to the right or left to selectfor operation either the trap controlled by lever ill or the trapcontrolled by lever H. Upon such movement of the handle, the leverassembly, including handle 24, stub lever 22, sleeve 29 and lever I9,rocks about the longitudinal pivot 33. Second: Movement of the leverassembly clockwise (Fig. 1) about pivot 37. This movement is for apurpose to be hereinafter described. Third: Movement of the leverassembly counterclockwise (Fig. 1) about pivot 31 to effect the releaseof one or both traps through the engagement of prongs ll and/or [8 withlugs l and/or 16. Fourth: Movement of operating handle 25 and stub lever22 counterclockwise about the pivot 2! without movement of lever IS, thespring 29 being compressed. This movement isincidental to securing adelayed release in the manner to be hereinafter described, and takesplace only when movement of lever I9 is restrained. The means for thusrestraining movement of lever I9 is as follows:

Secured to the yoke 3435 is a downwardly and forwardly extending lever40. Secured to an arbor 4! suitably supported in the frame is a latchlever 42 which is urged by a spring 43 into position in which its end Al is in the patch of movement of the lower end of lever 50. Movement oflatch 42 by its spring 43 is stopped by the engagement of a shoulder 45on said latch of an abutment 4B which is preferably made adjustable, asillustrated, to provide a variable surface of contact of the face 44 ofthe latch with the end portion of lever 45. Movement of latch 42 torelease the lever 48 and thereby permit trap releasing movement of thelever I9 is controlled by a hydraulic mechanism which may take variousforms. The particular embodiment of this mechanism selected for thepurpose of illustration may be described as follows:

Secured to the frame plate 53 by suitable means, such as screws 5!, is acylinder and valve containing block 52. This block is bored from the topto form a cylinder 53 which is closed at the bottom by the block itselfand at the top by a cylinder head 54 which is apertured to receivepiston rod 55 which is preferably provided with an enlarged head 55. Asuitable packing gland 5'? may be provided to prevent the escape of oilabout the piston rod 55. To the lower end of piston rod 55 is secured apiston 58 equipped with a suitable check valve which may compriseapertures 59 through the piston and a plate 50 overlying said apertures.The piston is urged upwardly by suitable means such as a spring 6|interposed between the underside of the piston and the bottom of thecylinder. The part of the cylinder 53 below the piston is incommunication with a valve chest 62 through a port 63, and the part ofthe cylinder 53 above the piston 58 is in communication with the valvechest through a Valve chest 62 contains a sleeve valve 65, and in theperiphery of sleeve 65 at the level of port 64 are a number of ports orapertures 66 of varying sizes. A typical arrangement of these ports isillustrated in Fig. 6, in which their heterogeneous arrangement will benoted. The time of flow of the oil or other fluid from the space incylinder 53 above piston 58 through the valve chest to the space in thecylinder below the piston is governed by the size of the particular port65 which stands opposite the port 64, and the time interval betweenmanipulation of the handle 24 and movement of levers 4B and 19 to effecttrap release is governed by the rise of piston 55 in a manner to bepresently described.

Means are provided for rotating sleeve valve 65 an amount equal to thespacing of the ports 56 on each operation of the mechanism. This meansmay comprise a ratchet '5'! secured to the upper end of sleeve valve 65and adapted for engagement by an actuating pawl 58. To preventretrograde movement of the sleeve valve, a re taining pawl is pivoted atH on the top of the cylinder block 52 and urged into engagement withratchet S! by suitable means such a spring E2. The sleeve valve 65 isheld in correct vertical position by suitable means such as a screw 13provided with a cylindrical boss M adapted to enter a recess in theperiphery of the sleeve valve.

A further variation in timing may be secured by closing off a portion ofall of the sleeve valve ports St. For this purpose a piston i6 may beplaced within the sleeve and connected with a piston rod 17 extendingupwardly to an adjusting nut 18 disposed above the top frame plate 23.By manipulation of the rod 71 through nut 18 the piston 76 may be raisedor lowered to close 01f less or more of the entire series of ports 66.

To enable the hydraulic mechanism just described to control the lever 42to permit movement of lever 40, suitable means are provided, one form ofwhich may be constructed as follows:

Pivoted to lever 46 at 80 is a link 8! having in its upper end anelongated slot 82 which receives a pin 83 projecting from an arm E lsecured to a sleeve 85 rotatably held on an arbor 85 supported inbrackets 87" depending from the top frame plate 23. Likewise secured tosleeve 85 is a lever 58, the free end of which overlies the head 55 onpiston rod 55. Pawl 68, which, as heretofore described, actuates theratchet Bl to rotate the sleeve valve 65, is pivoted on lever 85! andurged into engagement with the ratchet by a suitable spring such as 89.Pivoted at 90 to an arm 9i secured to sleeve 85 is a link 92 providedwith a transversely extending foot 83 overlying an arm 95 secured to thearbor 4! which, as heretofore described, likewise carries the lever 42.Link 92 is guided for vertical movement by suitable means which maycomprise a. stud 95 secured in the base M and extending through anaperture in the foot 53.

The operation of the devices may be described as follows:

The pull lever or handle 24 normally stand in the upright centralposition illustrated in Fig. 1, and piston 58 is normally elevated dueto the upward pressure of spring 6 l. Due to its engagement by thepiston rod head 56, lever 88, and with it the entire assembly on sleeve85, is rotated counterclockwise to the positions illustrated in brokenlines in Fig. 1. The pin 83 is in the upper end of slot 32 in link 8 iarm 9! and link 92 are depressed so that the foot 53 engages anddepresses lever 94 and latch 42, leaving the lower end of lever 40 freeto move forward. If now the pull lever 22 is drawn to the left (Fig. 1)to the position indicated by the broken line D, levers 40 and i9 movewith the pull lever to effect the instantaneous release of one or bothtraps, depending upon whether lever 24 is in its central position or hasbeen shifted laterally from its censaid sleeve valve actuated by saidmanually operable member.

9. A trap releasing timer comprising a manually operable member, a trapreleasing member, operative connections between said manually operablemember and said trap releasing member comprising a piston adapted to bedisplaced by said manually operable member, said piston being housed ina cylinder, a valve chest associated with said cylinder, a passagethrough said valve chest for conducting iluid from one side of saidpiston to the opposite side thereof through orifices connecting saidvalve chest with said cylinder, a valve in said valve chest providedwith a plurality of orifices of varying area adapted for successivealignment with one of said communicating orifices in successiveoperations of the timer.

10. A trap releasing timer comprising a manually operable member, a trapreleasing member, operative connections between said manually operablemember and said trap releasing member comprising a piston adapted to bedisplaced by said manually operable'member, said piston being housed ina cylinder, a valve chest associated with said cylinder, a passagethrough said valve chest for conducting fluid from one side of saidpiston to the opposite side thereof through orifices connecting saidvalve chest with said cylinder, a sleeve valve in said valve chestprovided with a plurality of orifices of varying area adapted foralignment with one of said communicating orifices, and means actuated bysaid manually operable member for shifting said sleeve valve to so aligna different orifice therein in successive operations of the timer.

11. Apparatus for efiecting the delayed release of a target trapcomprising, in combination, a frame, pivot means associated with saidframe, an operating handle supported on said pivot means, said operatinghandle normally occupying an intermediate neutral position and beingmovable therefrom in one direction to a trap releasing position and inanother direction to a cooking position, a trap releasing lever,connections from said handle to said trap reelasing lever including acompressible resilient means and a lever adapted to be engaged by alatch, said resilient means being effective upon movement of said handlefrom neutral to trap'releasing position to directly actuate said trapreleasing lever, a normally ineffective latch for said lever, means forrendering said latch effective upon a preliminary movement of saidoperating handle from neutral position to cooking position, a timingdevice energized by said movement of said operating handle from neutralposition to cocking position, and means controlled by said timing devicefor disabling said latch a predetermined time after said operatinghandle has been moved from cocking position to trap releasing position.

12. Apparatus for effecting the delayed release of a target trapcomprising, in combination, a frame, pivot means associated with saidframe, an operating handle supported on said pivot means, said operatinghandle normally occupying an intermediate neutral position and beingmovable therefrom in one direction to a trap releasing position and inanother direction to a cooking position, a trap releasing lever,connections from said handle to said trap releasing lever including acompressible resilient means and a lever adapted to be engaged by alatch, said resilient means being effective upon movement of said handlefrom neutral to trap releasing position to directly actuate said trapreleasing lever, a normally ineffective latch for said lever, means forrendering said latch efiective upon a preliminary movement of saidoperating handle from neutral position to cooking position, a hydraulictiming device energized by said movement of said operating handle fromneutral position to cocking position, and means controlled by saidtiming device for disabling said latch a predetermined time after saidoperating handle has been moved from cocking position to trap releasingposition.

13. Apparatus for effecting the delayed release of a target trapcomprising, in combination, a frame, pivot means associated with saidframe, an' operating handle supported on said pivot means, saidoperating handle normally occupying an intermediate neutral position andbeing movable therefrom in one direction to a trap releasing positionand in another direction to a cocking position, a trap releasing lever,connections from said handle to said trap releasing lever including acompressible resilient means and a lever adapted to be engaged by alatch, said resilient means being efiective upon movement of said handlefrom neutral to trap releasing position to directly actuate said trapreleasing lever, a normally ineffective latch for said lever, means forrendering said latch effective upon a preliminary movement of saidoperating handle from neutral position to cooking position, anautomatically variable hydraulic timing device energized by saidmovement of said operating handle from neutral position to cookingposition, and means controlled by said timing device for disabling saidlatch a predetermined time after said operating handle has been movedfrom cocking position to trap releasing position.

14. Apparatus for efiecting delayed release of a target trap comprising,in combination, a frame, pivot means associated with said frame, anoperating handle supported on said means, said operating handle normallyoccupying an intermediate neutral position and being movable therefromin one direction to a trap releasing position and in another directionto a cooking position, a trap releasing lever, connections from saidhandle to said trap releasing lever including a compressible springhaving one end operatively connected to the handle, the other endthereof being connected to an intermediate lever, said last mentionedlever being adapted to be engaged by said latch, said spring means beingoperable upon movement of said handle from neutral to trap releasingposition to directly actuate said trap releasing lever, means forrendering said latch efiective upon a preliminary movement of saidoperating handle from neutral position to cocking position, a timingdevice energized by said movement of the operating handle from neutralposition to cooking position, and means controlled by said timing devicefor disabling said latch a predetermined time after said operatinghandle has been moved from cocking position to trap releasing position,said latch preventing movement of the intermediate lever so that thespring is compressed upon moveing the intermediate lever to operate thetrap release lever.

CRAWFORD C. LOOMIS,

